Back pain is one of the commonest reasons for absence from work. And it is also the commonest reason to seek medical treatment. It can be uncomfortable, debilitating or disabling.
Back pain can result from injury, extraneous activity or some medical conditions. Back pain affects people of any age, for a variety of reasons. With increasing age, the chance of developing back pain increases, especially in the lower back. This can be due to various factors such as previous work and degenerative changes in spine or any disease.
Lower back pain is commonly linked to the bones in the lumbar spine or the discs between the vertebrae but can also be due to ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, the lower back muscles, internal organs in the abdomen and pelvis, or the skin around the lumbar area.
Pain in the upper back is usually more sinister and may be due to the disorders of the large blood vessels aorta or vena cava, tumors in the chest, lungs and or the spine.
Causesback pain
Problems with the spine such as osteoporosis commonly seen in the elderly can lead to back pain.
The human or mammalian back is made of a complex structure of muscles, ligaments, tendons, intervertebral discs, and bones, which form a framework together to support the body and enable us to dynamize our movements.
The individual bones of the spine are cushioned alternatively with soft cartilage-like shock-absorbing pads called disks.
Problems with any of these constituents can cause back pain. Still in some cases, the cause of back pain remains unclear.
Damage to spine or supporting structures can result from excessive strain, medical conditions, poor posture and other unknown causes.
Strain
Back pain commonly results from excessive strain, tension, or injury. Common causes of back pain are:
overstrained muscles or ligaments
a paraspinal muscle spasm
muscle tension
damaged or degenerated disks
Injuries or fractures
Activities causing strains or spasms include:
lifting things improperly
lifting too heavy things
abrupt and awkward movements of the back
Structural problems
A number of structural problems in or around the spine can result in back pain.
Ruptured disks: Vertebrae in the spine is cushioned by disks on both top and bottom. If one of these disks ruptures, it bulges out and puts pressure on a nerve, resulting in back pain that can radiate to the limbs.
Bulging disks: Similar to ruptured disks, a bulging disk can cause more of a back pain but is less likely to have radiating pain in the limbs.
Sciatica: common term for sharp and shooting pain from the buttock and down the back of the leg, caused by pressure on the nerves in the spinal canal.
Arthritis: Osteoarthritis or degeneration of any of the three joints between two vertebrae can cause pain in the hips, lower back, and other places.
Lumbar canal stenosis: The space around the spinal cord narrows due to thickening of the ligaments. This is known as spinal stenosis.
Abnormal curvature of the spine: Any change in the normal curves of the spine changes the mechanics and weight transmission, back pain can result. Scoliosis is one such condition, in which the spine curves and rotates to the side.
Osteoporosis: With aging bones, including the vertebrae of the spine, become porous, less denser and brittle, causing compression fractures even with minor injury or even body weight.
Kidney problems: Stones, infection or other disorders of kidney can cause back pain.
Movement and posture
Most of us use a desk for our work, especially while using a computer. Invariably we tend to get into a slouched or hunched posture for a long time. This is usually a cause for upper back and shoulder pain among the urban population or white collar workers.
Back pain also results from few day to day activities or poor posture.
Examples include:
Overzealous twisting
coughing or sneezing
muscle tension or strain
over-stretching
bending awkwardly or suddenly
pushing, pulling, lifting, or carrying out heavy manual activity
standing or sitting for long periods in same posture
straining the neck forward
long driving without a break
sleeping on an uncomfortable bed or position
Other causes
Some medical conditions can lead to back pain.
Cauda equina syndrome: The cauda equina is the bundle of spinal nerve roots coming out of the lower end of the spinal cord. Symptoms can vary from a dull pain in the lower back and upper buttocks to numbness in the buttocks, genitalia, and thighs along with loss of bowel(defecation) and bladder(micturition) control.
Cancer of the spine: A tumor in the spine arising from any structure can give rise to pressure symptoms and destruction of nearby tissues. All this can manifest as back pain.
Infections of the spine: Tuberculosis of the spine is a common condition seen in the 3rd world population. Apart from back pain fever is another common symptom.
Other infections: Inflammatory disease in the pelvis, infections of the bladder, or kidney may also lead to back pain.
Sleep disorders: In studies, it has been noticed that individuals with sleep disorders are more likely to experience back pain.
Shingles: Infection of the nervous system may lead to back pain.
Risk factors for back pain
Studies over the years have found the following associated factors for developing low back pain:
occupational activities
pregnancy
a sedentary lifestyle
poor physical fitness
older age
obesity and excess weight
smoking
strenuous physical exercise or work, especially if done incorrectly or without proper stretching or warmup
genetic factors
medical conditions, like arthritis and cancer
Lower back pain is also seen more commonly in women than in men, probably due to hormonal factors. Stress, anxiety, and mood disorders along with other psychological conditions have also been linked to back pain.
Symptoms of the back pain
Back pain is the commonest symptom in spinal problems which at times may shoot down all the way to the buttocks and legs.
Some back problems can cause pain in other parts of the body, depending on which nerves are affected.
The pain is usually temporary and often goes away with rest, but if it recurs or is associated with any of the following, you must visit a doctor:
weight loss
fever
inflammation or swelling on the back
persistent back pain, where lying down or resting does not help
pain down along the legs
pain that radiating below the knees
Pain due to recent injury, blow or trauma to the back
urinary incontinence or other disturbance
fecal incontinence, or loss of control over defecation
numbness around the genitals
numbness around the anus
numbness around the buttocks
When to see a doctor
You should seek medical care if you experience numbness or tingling, or if the back pain:
that is not relieved with rest
Caused due to an injury or fall
with numbness in the legs
With numbness in saddle area
with weakness in legs
with fever
with significant weight loss
Diagnosis
Your doctor will be able to diagnose your back pain with few questions about symptoms and a physical examination.
Few imaging scan and other tests may be done to confirm if:
back pain is a result from an injury
there is some underlying cause for the pain
the pain persists for a long period
An X-ray, MRI, or CT scan can help confirm the diagnosis by giving visual information about the state of the tissues in the back.
X-rays help see the alignment of the bones and find signs of arthritis or bones, but they can’t reveal damage in the soft tissues like muscles, spinal cord, nerves, or intervertebral disks.
MRI or CT scans give spatial visualisation of herniated disks or problems with other tissues such as tendons, nerves, ligaments, blood vessels, muscles, and bones as well.
Bone scans pick up even very early changes in bone and can detect bone tumors or subtle compression fractures due to osteoporosis. A radioactive substance or also called a tracer is injected into a vein. The tracer gets concentrated in the high activity areas in bones, which is then visualised with the aid of a special camera.
Electromyography or EMG measures the conduction of electrical impulses. This can help confirm nerve compression, due to a herniated disk or spinal stenosis or any other cause.
Your doctor may also advise a blood test if the infection is suspected.
Chronic or acute back pain?
Back pain is for management purpose categorized into two types:
Acute back pain is a sudden abrupt start of the pain and may last for up to 6 weeks.
Chronic or long-term pain develops gradually over a longer period, lasts for months, with or without waxing and waning phases and causes ongoing problems.
Some people have both occasional bouts of intense pain with intervening periods of fairly continuous mild back pain. This Makes it difficult for a doctor to ascertain or categorize the pain as acute or chronic back pain.
What is intragastric balloon surgery or balloon in stomach for weight loss
Intragastric balloon surgery or balloon in the stomach is a weight loss procedure where a saline-filled silicone balloon is placed in the stomach. This limits the capacity or volume of the stomach. It helps lose weight by filling up the stomach with lesser quantities of food.
The intragastric balloon procedure can be considered for those who are obese and are not satisfied with their diet and exercise results.
As with other weight loss surgery, strict adherence to a healthier lifestyle is necessary. These lifestyle changes should include a healthy diet, regular exercise to help ensure the success of intra-gastric balloon surgery in the long run.
Why it is done
The primary aim of an intragastric balloon surgery is to help lose weight. Weight loss lowers the risk of many potentially serious health problems related to weight, like:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Heart disease
Brain stroke
High blood pressure (Hypertension)
Obstructive sleep apnea
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Diabetes
Any of the weight loss medical/surgical procedures including Intragastric balloon procedure are to be done only after improving diet and exercise habits.
Who should opt for intragastric balloon surgery
Intragastric balloon procedure can be considered for if:
Body mass index (BMI) is between 30 and 40
Willing to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, regular medical follow-up, and other changes in behavior
No previous stomach or esophageal surgery
Intragastric balloon procedure can not be considered a staple choice of treatment for every overweight individual. A screening process will help customize an ideal treatment for each individual.
Intragastric balloon placement and its removal, later on, is usually not covered under health insurance and therefore is usually paid from the pocket. This is the biggest reason why people from around the world head to countries like India, Turkey, and Thailand for intragastric balloon surgery and other cosmetic or aesthetic procedures.
Risks with Intra-Gastric Balloon surgery
An intra-gastric balloon in the stomach for weight loss is a mechanical object placed inside the stomach, hence causing mechanical symptoms like pain and nausea in about a third of people soon after the procedure. Once the body adjusts to the balloon in the stomach the symptoms subside, usually in a few days. These symptoms are easily managed with oral medications at home.
Serious side effects are very rare but may occur after intragastric balloon procedure. A doctor should be consulted if nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain occur at any time after surgery.
An intra gastric balloon can deflate and move through the digestive tract and may cause blockage of the digestive tract. This is a potential risk with intragastric balloon surgery. This may necessitate a need for an endoscopic or surgical procedure or to remove the deflated balloon.
Overinflation, acute pancreatitis, ulcers, or perforation, or a hole in the stomach wall, are other possible risks that might require surgical intervention.
How to prepare
Once a decision is taken for intragastric ballooning, regular exercise must be started and restriction in diet. Multiple lab tests to assess and minimize the risk of surgery is done.
What to expect
During Intragastric Balloon surgery
Intragastric balloon surgery is done as an OutPatient procedure. This procedure is done by passing a thin tube called an endoscope through the mouth into the stomach under sedation in an Operation Theatre.
During Intragastric balloon surgery an endoscope with a camera at the tip loaded with a silicone balloon is inserted into the stomach. The camera allows the doctor to visualize and correctly place the balloon into the stomach and inflate it with the saline to the desired size.
The procedure just takes about half an hour. The patient is discharged on the same day one to two hours after the procedure.
After the procedure
Once back from the procedure, the patient can start taking small amounts of clear fluids about six hours after the procedure. A liquid diet is usually continued into the second week when soft foods are started. Regular foods can be taken after about 3 weeks if the insertion of the intragastric balloon.
Intragastric balloons are usually left in the stomach for up to 6 months, after which it is removed with a similar procedure with an endoscope. A new bariatric balloon may or may not be inserted then depending upon the results and advice of the doctor.
Patients may need to meet with a nutritionist, psychologist to get the best out of the intragastric balloon procedure.
Results of Intragastric balloon surgery
An intragastric balloon restricts the space available for food in the stomach and hence restricts the food intake by making one feel full with less food. Other factors which like slowing of the movement of food from the stomach to the intestine keeps one satiated for a longer time and reduces the frequency of eating. Intragastric balloons also seem to alter the levels of hormones that control appetite.
The amount of weight loss after the intragastric balloon surgery also depends on the adherence to and ability to change lifestyle habits, diet, and exercise.
On average an individual tends to lose about 7% to 15% of body weight during the initial six months after the intragastric balloon procedure. A total weight loss of 30% to 47% is expected in the long run.
Intragastric balloon procedure after weight loss can help resolve or cure certain medical condition especially which arise out of being overweight, these may include:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Heart diseases (CAD)
High blood pressure (Hypertension)
Obstructive sleep apnea
Osteoarthritis (joint pain) especially of knee joints
Type 2 diabetes
High cholesterol level
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
Failure of intragastric balloon surgery
No significant weight loss or weight regain may still happen after an endoscopic gastric balloon surgery as is possible with other weight loss procedures. This may happen even if the weight loss procedure is working properly. The primary reason for the failure of the procedure is the inability to make necessary changes in lifestyle and dietary habits. For a weight-loss surgical procedure including balloon therapy to succeed, permanent changes in the diet, along with regular physical activity and exercise, are more than necessary.